Boy, oh, boy, Fangirls. I, like many crazed fans, have been waiting for what feels like an eternity for OITNB’s third season to grace Netflix. Our time has finally come. And it’s been worth the wait. Though I have already finished this season, I figured I would break it up into two halves so that we don’t get too worked up. This season certainly takes the crown for stirring up all things hot & bothered.

Beware, Fangirls! Some minor spoilers ahead!

I felt a sense of home as my eyes returned to the many familiar faces of Litchfield. Though, that’s not to say that nothing has changed. Things most certainly are changing at our favorite correctional facility. However, that’s going to come a little later. As far as the beginning of this season goes, things pick up right where they left off.

It’s maybe a few weeks later, maybe less, it’s hard to tell. Red is mainly healed up and has returned to the camp, along with fan favorite, and my favorite, Alex Vause. If you recall, the end of season 2 left us with Piper ratting Alex out to her probation officer to land her back in prison. Well, she was successful. And though Alex is distraught, Piper and her go back to being in a good place. Though of course, Alex doesn’t know it was Piper that has landed her back in here. I’ve seen many times online over the last few days that people are starting to find that Piper & Alex are the most boring part of the show now. I can’t say that I disagree, but I do still love to watch them, and love to watch their predictable relationship go from on, to off, to on. Along with other favorites are characters like Nicky, Morello, & Crazy Eyes. For a few episodes, Nicky is struggling to get the heroine that the now dead V had stashed in the prison out. For an addict, the temptation is starting to make her skin crawl. However, a grand scheme spanning a few episodes doesn’t end exactly how she plans it to. Just in case, I will leave that spoiler unspoiled, though, Fangirls, it’s quite an intense one. One of her somewhat unlikely partners in crime throughout the situation is Big Boo, who gets a lot of attention in season three. Once a few episodes in, we start to learn more about Boo’s back story, a somewhat tragic one at that, being a raised in a household where her sexuality was more or less ignored. For many watchers of the show, I think her story will hit close to the bone. The third season explores the backgrounds of a lot of existing characters who became unexpected favorites, such as Norma & Chang, who both have intense as all get out stories.

But of course, intense stories are also happening in the here & now within the prison, Daya & John Bennett’s being one that has gotten a lot of the screens attention, as well as mine. I really fell in love with Daya’s character over the last season or so, and was happy to see how much attention she gets in this new season. The story of her love affair with John, and the pregnancy that has come out of it, only gets more crazy, more frustrating, and more heartbreaking. With Pornstache’s family now involved, Daya faces a lot of decisions, lies, and stress. Meanwhile, John struggles to the point of no return. That is also a spoiler that I’ll leave alone for now. Shit gets real, Fangirls.

All things intense are about at Litchfield. Relationships, jobs, confronting the past. A fishy new management is put into action, one that operates too much like a business and not one that respects the people impacted by their decisions. When reaching the half way point of season three, jobs are ending and emerging, so much new information is revealed, and feelings are everywhere. I’ll tell you one thing, though, Fangirls. It’s damn good. This show is still an incredible voice for feminism, sexuality, and human rights, and I still love watching every damn second of it. I’m sure most of you are well past the halfway mark on this new season, but if not, I’m not really sure what you’re doing here.

Go! Now! Watch!

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